The Paleo Diet is a way of eating that replicates how our ancestors used to eat as hunter-gatherers living in the wild. The diet consists of foods that are found in nature and only in nature. We eat ONLY food that is unprocessed by machine or chemical.
In a nutshell: Meat, leaves, and berries.
Potatoes, tubers, nuts, seeds, and other natural food are also OK on the diet but they are not recommend in large quantities because they were not found in abundance in nature and thus humans did not consume large amounts of them as apart of their diet.
Foods excluded from the Paleo Diet include grains, legumes, dairy, refined salt and sugar, processed oils, and all other processed and artificial ingredients. If you read the label of any typical junk food item you will find many of these ingredients:
Brownie = Grains, Dairy, Refined salt/sugar, processed oil
Candy = Refined salt/sugar, artificial colorings and chemicals
Bread = Grains, Refined salt/sugar, processed oil, artificial colorings and chemicals
Pasta = Grains, Refined salt/sugar, processed oil, artificial colorings and chemicals
Most Restaurant Food = Grains, legumes, Refined salt/sugar, processed oil, artificial colorings and chemicals
So Do I Starve Myself?
Initially, people are usually taken aback by the amount of options that aren’t ‘OK’ to eat. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering most Americans follow the food pyramid that is completely backwards. I assuage this initial shock by showing them meals I make at home (and some meals at restaurants) and they realize that you can eat some pretty damn good food. The key is to be picky and to make your own food as often as possible.
As you can see below, you can eat pretty awesome. I always tell people that I love food and I eat like a king on the regular. When traveling I will definitely have a cheat meal if the occasion calls for it, but 95% of the time I eat a strict gluten-free Paleo/Primal diet.
The food pyramid according to Mark Sission. His version of the diet is called “Primal” and has slight differences over “Paleo” but they are essentially the same thing.
Ok I See What I Should Eat, But Why?
Because America is fat and getting fatter. Because we are chronically sick, depressed, stressed, overworked, and missing out on life.
There is BIG BUSINESS in making us fat and keeping us fat. From a conspiracy point of view, think of what happens when you get fat: You eat more food; Drink more soda; Need more drugs; Watch more entertainment on your couch; Need more surgery; Buy more fat-loss pills; And so on.
What better business model: sell food to people, get them hooked on it, and sell them more and more and more.
McDonald’s is the largest fast-food chain in the world and they got that way using this exact formula. They use cheap processed food to get millions addicted. Other corporations such as Kraft, Monsanto, Tyson, Purdue, and so on are evil conglomerates that spend billions of dollars lobbing in Washington to ensure lax food regulations and public misinformation through funding of specific studies.
Cheap food is not cheap at all. You pay more in the grocery store or you pay much more in the hospital. Complaining that it’s too expense to eat healthy is just ignorance. There are a million ways to buy good food in large quantities and utilize slow cooking and batch cooking to save time and get the best bang for your buck. Say no to cheap food!
Cheap food kills the environment and it kills us.
The Why for Paleo is simple: because it works.
Human beings are made to eat certain foods and not eat others. All animals have a specific diet and we are no different. We refer to an animal’s diet as a means of classifying them such as carnivore, herbivore, etc. Humans are mostly carnivore (meat eater) and slightly herbivore (plant eater). Some proponent researchers argue that plant foods don’t provide enough calories or nutrition to even warrant inclusion in our diets but I won’t go down that rabbit hole.
The point is that we are made to eat and thrive on NATURAL FOODS found in NATURE.
When you process food through heat, chemical or other means, you are removing the nature. Some foods, such as grains, are not meant to be consumed in their raw state and must undergo major heat processing to be edible to humans. This is a sign we are NOT MEANT TO EAT THEM! Perhaps that is why gluten and grains cause SO many gut and health issues.
Let’s recap:
No Processed anything - Grains, Legumes, Flour, Rye, Barley, Candy, Cake, Battered, Fried, etc
All-Natural Nothing-Added - Meat, Seafood, Veggies, Fruit, Potatoes, Yams, Nuts/seeds
Benefits Of Paleo
You will lose weight. I have seen hundreds of clients in my gym adopt the Paleo Diet way of eating and one thing always holds true..They universally:
- Lose weight
- lean up
- get ripped
- get stronger
- feel better
- sleep better
- increase energy
- have better sex
- cure disease (not joking).
There are thousands and thousands online all saying the same thing. It is changing people’s lives. I hate the word diet because it is a lifestyle, it is how we are MADE to eat.
The benefits of eating how we are programmed by genetics to eat improves everything in your life.
It has changed my life, and my sister’s and mother’s. I starting on the typical bodybuilding protocol of whey protein, chicken breasts, sandwiches and no-explode energy crap supplements. I thought I was eating healthy and had no clue the damage I was doing to my health. It’s what the magazines were saying to do. Why would I have to question these recommendations? Most people in the gym were doing the same exact things.
I struggled. I couldn’t rid the fat around my midsection and love handles. It was very frustrating to train in the gym for 3-4 hours a day and still not reach a ‘ripped’ six-pack-the look I was training for.
Finding Paleo was a life-changing experience. I can tell you with absolute belief and certainty from personal experience, reading thousands of books, articles and forums; and from testing my own personal experience over the past 8 years, that the Paleo or Primal way of eating is the answer.
Plain and simple
If you want to be ripped, improve your blood lipid, or just feel and look better, than you must go Paleo. I believe in it with every ounce of my being. It will change your life. Don’t fall into the trap of the “all or nothing mindset.” If you fall ‘off the wagon’ just get right back on. THe more you eat Paleo the better you will be while the less you eat the worse you will be. Always strive for better.
Paleo or Primal?
To further explain my personal eating style I would have to cite Mark Sisson at MarksDailyApple.com. Mark is the man and he is my go-to source on all things Paleo/Primal. I use some of his supplement products and have all of his books. For newbies I can’t recommend this book enough:
This book is full of color pictures, big fonts, and simple advice. I bought this book after being a so-called expert on these topics and it is still an awesome reference.
Mark has a common sense modern approach to evolutionary fitness. He recommends products such as pastured butter (Kerrygold is my favorite), red wine, pastured dairy, and has other more ‘open’ recommendations to food choices.
Many traditional Paleo die-hards are what we call ‘strict-Paleo’ and shun all modern food and even recommend lean meats. For most people, going strict Paleo would be too difficult to sustain and those that try ultimately become discouraged and stop altogether. I see this ALL the time at my gym and I have learned it is better to simplify for people. The more difficult to understand, the less likely one will make real changes.
For simplicity and because I do believe that healthy animal fat is extremely good for you, I eat the Primal way of eating rather than a Strict-Paleo diet.
Regardless of which ‘brand’ you decide with, if you are cooking food for yourself and staying away from processed crap you will see results. The more you do, the more results you will see. The less you do, the less results you will see.
You Are Not Seeking Perfection
The key is to take action on a day-to-day basis. The better you get at making proper food decisions, the easier it gets. The better you get at cooking, the easier it gets. The more you learn and remember, the easier it gets.
Eating Out Tips
Most of us eat out. Most restaurants we eat at use low quality and processed food and ingredients. Losing weight or being healthy in general is very very hard when eating in restaurants.
Here are a few tips to help you with the process: Download PDF reference File - Purchase Wallet Card
Home Cooking And Why It’s Important
Because cooking is a main theme of this blog and my life, I have already compiled some good posts regarding home cooking. Check these links out for more help on preparing some awesome Paleo meals:
Lose Weight With One-Pot Meals
A Basic Cooking Course - How To Prepare Healthy Recipes At Home For The Beginner
My Basic Paleo Shopping List
Check out the Lifestyle pack designed and manufactured by yours truly: The Lifestyle Pack
Get Started Today!
I hope this article will motivate you to start making some changes in your diet. You don’t have to go all-out to benefit from eating better: a little bit can show results. If you are reading this blog it is likely you give a slight damn about your health and the fat hanging around your love-handles. So start making changes today.
- Raid your pantry and throw away the processed crap
- Start saying ‘NO’ to bread when eating out
- Start ordering meat entrees instead of pasta or other fried junk
- Stop drinking sugar-filled toxins
With each small change you make you will see a small change in your body. As you start seeing changes, I promise you will want to see more and it will motivate you into more action. The hardest part is getting started. Just remember to take it slow and be patient.
Each smart decision you make will repay you dividends in the future. Just as every bad decision you make will have a negative consequence later on.
Check this awesome infographic by the Greatist.com:
